by Kasia | Mar 20, 2016 | Interviews, Reading
One Small Victory by Maryann Miller
Life can change in just an instant.
That thought wove its way in and around her mind as Jenny fingered the clothes jammed along the wooden rod in the closet. His funny T-shirts promoting the likes of “Prince” and “Dilbert.” His one good shirt, only worn under duress. His leather jacket that still carried a faint aroma reminiscent of saddles and horses.
Sometime soon she’d have to clean out the closet. Isn’t that what usually happens?
Tears burned her eyes and she turned away. She didn’t know what was supposed to happen. No one had ever told her. And a multitude of questions swam through her mind like restless minnows in a pond.
There were books on choosing a college. Books on how to plan a wedding or how to help your child find a job. But no one had ever written one on what to do when your son dies.
Thus begins what is a mother’s worst nightmare, the loss of a child. For most women, that loss would hold them in a grief so pervasive they couldn’t function, but Jenny Jasik doesn’t give in to the paralysis. After discovering how rampant drugs are in her rural Texas town, she bullies her way onto a Drug Task Force and works as a confidential informant to help bring down the main distributor. This isn’t done without considerable risk, not only to her safety but to her sanity and to the sanctity of her family.
EXCERPT
She sank to the edge of her bed, the pain threatening to drag her into the dark abyss. Her blood pounded so loud in her ears it took a minute to realize someone was knocking on the door.
“Mom?” Scott’s voice called from the hallway. “Can I come in?”
Jenny took a deep breath, then rose and opened the door.
“I was wondering . . . uh,” Scott’s eyes had difficulty resting on hers. “Has Dad called back yet?”
She shook her head.
“Well, uh . . . do you want me to call him?”
Again, she shook her head. “It’s something I should do. I’ll try again as soon as I’m finished here.”
Scott hesitated a moment more, then backed out of the doorway. Jenny quickly closed the door. Better that he not see the flush of anger that warmed her cheeks. She’d tried to call Ralph last night, sometime during those hours of agony between leaving the hospital and finally collapsing for a brief period of fitful sleep, but there’d been no answer.
Last night she’d been too numb to care. It was just so typical. He had never been there for her, or the kids. Not while they were married, and not in the years since he’d left. Most of the time she just accepted it and tried to ease the disappointment for the kids as much as possible. But even though little was said, the message was clear. Ralph wasn’t involved with the kids. Not like a father should be.
But the truth was like a kick in the gut this morning.
“You stupid, sorry, son of a bitch,” Jenny said, running a brush through her dark hair with quick, angry strokes. “Why should I care how you find out? I should just clip the obituary and send it to you.”
It gave her a perverse rush of pleasure to consider doing that, but she wouldn’t. She couldn’t. Out of respect for the fact that he was Michael’s father, she would call again.
Jenny crossed the room and picked up the phone on her bedside table. Still no answer after ten rings, and she started to worry. Maybe it wasn’t even his number anymore. He had a penchant for moving and not getting around to giving them the new number for weeks. She could try him at work later, but she wasn’t even sure that number was current.
Longevity, either professional or personal, was never one of his strong suits.
She slammed the phone down. “Couldn’t you be there for me? Just once?”
AUTHOR BIO
Maryann Miller is a best-selling author of books, screenplays and stage plays. One Small Victory was her first hardcover release. Other books include a police-procedural mystery, Open Season, which is the first in a new series that features two women homicide detectives. Think “Lethal Weapon” set in Dallas with female leads. Miller has won numerous awards for her screenplays and short fiction, including the Page Edwards Short Fiction Award, the New York Library Best Books for Teens Award, and first place in the screenwriting competition at the Houston Writer’s Conference.
Where Can I Buy It?
One Small Victory is available in paper, electronic, and audio. Links to all formats are on Maryann’s Book Page on her website:
http://maryannwrites.com/books/one-small-victory/
AUTHOR LINKS – Amazon Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Maryann-Miller/e/B001JP7Y1S/
Facebook Author Page https://www.facebook.com/Maryann-Miller-176896965725974/
Author Website http://maryannwrites.com/
Interview with Jenny Jasik:
What on earth possessed you to join a drug task force?
If I hadn’t been numb with grief, I might have reconsidered. Everybody kept telling me to, even my best friend, Carol. But I just got so mad when I found out that drug dealers were hanging around the school and other places where kids, even very young kids, were put in danger. People keep saying we need to do something about drugs, so I figured, why not? It took some convincing to get the captain to agree, and I know he was shocked when I passed the tests to work undercover with the task force. I think I was shocked, too.
So what now? Will you do it again?
Are you kidding? I was scared to death most of the time, so I don’t think I’ll do it again. Although, I must say that I liked that Jenny who took no crap from the drug dealers and actually made a huge difference.
Did you have any previous law-enforcement experience?
Heck no. I barely graduated from high school. Like so many young teens, I was madly in love, or so I thought, and couldn’t wait for Ralph and I to get married. Getting pregnant sort of helped that along. And like a silly teenager who believes every word a guy says, I thought we really would live happily ever after. That didn’t happen. Ralph didn’t want to be a husband any more than he wanted to be a father. I’m only sorry that it took so many years for us to figure that out. However, had it not, I wouldn’t have had my three wonderful kids.
What was the most difficult part of your life?
That’s pretty obvious, I think. Losing Michael was like losing part of myself. I’d heard people say that a parent should never outlive their children, and I’m here to tell you the truth in that. Even thinking back to that horrible day the pain is as strong as it was then. There were days I didn’t know if I even wanted to go on without Michael, but I had the other kids to think of. And then the opportunity to get some vindication. That helped.
Do you see another man in your life in the future?
Funny you should ask. I worked with a detective, Steve. He was the one I reported to and who held my hand through the whole process of applying and then working on the task force. We both recognized that there was some chemistry between us, but his professionalism held him back. Plus, we were both dealing with a lot of emotional pain. He had lost his wife. So we didn’t want to rush into some kind of relationship that would put his job at risk and maybe we weren’t ready for anyway. Now that some time has passed, we are considering trying to make something work for us. Maybe I can convince Maryann to write that story. I’ve been bugging her about it.
by Kasia | Mar 18, 2016 | Interviews, Reading, Writing
Author Linda K. Sienkiewicz writes women’s fiction/ contemporary romance. Her debut novel In the Context of Love.
What makes us step back to examine the events and people that have shaped our lives? And what happens when what we discover leads to more questions? In the Context of Love revolves around the journey of Angelica Schirrick as she reevaluates her life, and its direction.
Returning with her children from their first visit with her now imprisoned husband, she tries to figure out where it all went so wrong. Can she face the failures and secrets of her past and move forward? Can she find love and purpose again? Her future, which once held so much promise, crumbled like dust after the mysterious disappearance of her first love, and the shattering revelation that derailed her life, and divided her parents. Only when she finally learns to accept the violence of her beginning can she be open to life again, and maybe to a second chance at love.
Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of #1 NYTimes Bestseller, DEEP END OF THE OCEAN, says: “With humor and tenderness, but without blinking, Linda K. Sienkiewicz turns her eye on the predator-prey savannah of the young and still somehow hopeful.”
Bonnie Jo Campbell, author of Michigan Notable Book MOTHERS TELL YOUR DAUGHTERS, says “Sienkiewicz’s powerful and richly detailed debut novel is at once a love story, a cautionary tale, and an inspirational journey. It should be required reading for all wayward daughters, and their mothers, too.”
Eggcerpt from In the Context of Love:
“I had everything under control, baby doll. You didn’t need to do that,” he said, opening and closing his fists.
“Oh, yeah, right. I could see that. Who is she?” My knees started to shake as if my body finally realized fear was the appropriate reaction.
“One crazy bitch, that’s who. She could’ve killed you.” He examined the side of my face, touching gently. “This might bruise. I didn’t know you had so much fight in you. What a little ball breaker,” he said, as if proud of me.
I scowled as I jerked my head away. “You told her you’re clean. What does that mean?”
“Just that. She’s looking for what I don’t have. Forget it. She won’t come back.” He led me into the bedroom and sat me on the bed, as if disruptions of this sort were common in his life, then got a wet washrag from the bathroom and held it to my face. The concern in his eyes was genuine. The stinging pain slid from my cheek down into the sorely beating muscle in my chest when I realized I cared about this man more than I should. I wanted to kiss him as badly as I wanted to clobber him.
I asked him how tight he and this Blossom person had been, and he said, “Like scotch tape on cement.” The cool rag was soothing. I liked the way he held it to my face. Weighted by vague allegations and indecisiveness, I felt like the wrong answer in an essay test.
“Don’t be mad. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” he said as we lay down. His skin felt hot and dry when he rolled on top of me. I took a quick breath, struck by the unexpected burden of his body moving on top of mine, as if he were ironing years of his mistakes onto me. He kissed my face where it hurt, as if to make it all better, like a daddy.
Who was I to question him? A model of truthfulness? So what if he had a few untidy relationships or loose ends? I wasn’t going to have his babies, for crying out loud.
Buy It Here!
In the Context of Love can be purchased in paperback or e-reader on Amazon http://amzn.to/1IiVWEs or Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/1QFs340
Interview with Angelica Schirrick, the narrator of In the Context of Love.
1. Where were you born?
I was brought into this world by midwife Rose Rumble at my great aunt’s farm in Wisconsin, and my mother, young and unmarried, was supposed to give me up for adoption.
2. Do you have a nickname?
People have called me troublemaker, short stuff, hot stuff, cupcake (by my dad) Angel, hure (by my wicked German grandmother — don’t ask why), but most people call me Angie.
3. What’s your most embarrassing moment?
When I was a teen, I was furious with my parents and felt this sudden need to get away from them (who hasn’t?), so I snatched the keys to my dad’s Lincoln and took off. I don’t know what I was thinking. I didn’t have a license or much driving experience. I lost control and drove it into a fir tree in the Brecksville Metropark. I was okay but the car was not.
4. What is your job?
I’m proud to say I’m the marketing and community service director for Safe Harbor, a non-profit women’s domestic violence shelter in Cleveland, Ohio. I love my work.
5. What’s your favorite type of pet?
I grew up with a gorgeous fluffy collie named Cookie, so I’m awfully fond of dogs, but at this point in my life, I’d rather have something low maintenance, like a goldfish, canary, or a rock. Yes, a pet rock would be perfect.
About Linda
Author Linda K. Sienkiewicz attributes her creative drive to her artistic mother, who taught her to sew, and her father, who let her monkey around with the gadgets in his workshop. Her short stories and poetry have been published in more than fifty literary journals in print and online. She has a poetry chapbook award from Bottom Dog Press, a Pushcart Prize nomination and an MFA from The University of Southern Maine.
Website http://lindaksienkiewicz.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/LindaKSienkwicz
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/lindaksienkwicz/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lindaksienkiewicz/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/linda.k.sienkiewicz.author
by Kasia | Mar 14, 2016 | Interviews, Reading, Writing
Sex. Rebellion. Rock and roll.
Living After Midnight, Book 1
Cheyenne is a half-human incubus whose star is on the rise in the Unakite City rock scene. His father, the leader of the supernatural races, would prefer he keep a “low profile”, but screw that. Cheyenne has as much music in his veins as royal incubi blood.
Alexander’s future is all set—finish law school, join the family firm, and marry someone who’d be good for business. Not that he has a say in any of it. He’s barely met the woman his father expects him to marry.
As Cheyenne’s musical career takes off, his carefully constructed life begins to unravel, exacerbated by an ex-lover who can’t let go, a crotchety barkeeper with a dirty mind and a pure heart, a drag queen who moonlights as a nanny, and Alexander—who’s not sure if he’s falling for the incubus or the rocker.
Cheyenne denies who he is, while Alexander hides what he wants. Together, they learn that getting what they truly want means being who they truly are.
Excerpt
~~~~
The blue-gray glow of the synthesizer’s lights increased with the music’s crescendo and tugged him to the edge of his seat. The beginning of a show was one of his favorite parts. He was also partial to the middle and the end.
But Alexander didn’t applaud and stomp and scream in anticipation like the rest of the crowd. He was grateful to be able to keep his composure, but the truth was, it was all he could do to remember to breathe.
With a burst of light and a thunderous chord, Cheyenne appeared at center stage, arms out from his sides. An ethereal white light illuminated him. A rock and roll messiah.
Buy It Here!
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
https://www.samhainpublishing.com/book/5575/house-of-the-rising-son
Author Bio
Trevann Rogers writes urban fantasy and LGBT paranormal romances. Her stories incorporate an unquenchable addition to music and her love for vampires, Weres, incubi and rock stars. Like these elusive creatures, Trevann learned long ago that sometimes being yourself means Living After Midnight.
Author links
www.trevannrogers.com
www.facebook.com/trevannr
www.pinterest.com/trevannr
www.twitter.com/trevannrogers
Character Q&A: Cheyenne Constantine
1. Nickname ~ Chey
2. Job~ Musician
3. Level of schooling, or self-taught: I graduated high school. But I taught myself guitar and piano
4. Birthdate ~June 2
5. Birthplace ~Unakite City
6. Currently residing in ~Unakite City
7. Favorite type of pet ~ Tiger but don’t tell Zander. I’d be in the doghouse for sure.
8. Favorite place to visit~ Las Vegas
9. Significant other ~Zander
10. Most important goal ~I’m going to be a rock star.
11. Worst fear or nightmare ~Failing my kids somehow.
12. Favorite food ~Zander
13. Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between? ~Poor but not for much longer.
14. Secret desire or fantasy ~I want my father to be proud of me.
15. What would you do if you won the lottery? ~Buy a big house, get my kids every thing they want, and get a custom made guitar.
by Kasia | Mar 6, 2016 | Reading
My goal is to read 52 books in 2016. These are the books that I’m reading and my thoughts on them. When you read dozens of books, it becomes hard to remember what they were all about, so I’m making notes and posting monthly on what I’m reading. Do you have any books you’d like to recommend? The below contains affiliate links so if you click and purchase I may be compensated for them. I need to support my reading habit somehow!
In February, I read and enjoyed the following books:
The Angel by Mark Dawson
I was a little disappointed by this books. It ends in a massive cliffhanger. The story doesn’t seem finished. The main character doesn’t really come into play until the end of the book.
It was interesting and all but given how great Beatrix Rose Trilogy was, the first in the Isabella Rose series needed a little bit more, well, Isabella in it.
From a readers perspective I was a little annoyed. From a writers perspective I think changing the writing style is good to keep things interesting. You get authors that by the fifth book they all sound the same and that’s not good. Sure you want to be recognised but you don’t want your stories to be predictable and run the same linear fashion.
Blood & Roses By Mark Dawson
The third book in the Beatrix Rose trilogy finished well. There was a good amount of tension, action and emotion. While all the books require a suspension of disbelief, the way the story finished was sad, tragic and true to the characters.
Shut Up & Write: The No-Nonsense, No B.S. Guide To Getting Words On The Page By Mridu Khullar Relph
I’m a sucker for a good motivational book and I”m a huge fan of Ms Relph. I’ve been following her blog for about eight years now and she truly is an inspiration. A great journalist and writer that many can learn from. I’ve been looking forward to reading a book by her for a long time. While Shut Up & Write, is not what I expected, it was an enjoyable read that was motivating and offered an insight into her life and work. I definitely recommend this book for writers who are at the beginning of their journey or even those who need a refresher in order to shut up and write.
Day of the Vikings by J.F. Penn
Sign up for JF Penn’s email list and you’ll get a copy of this book free. It’s also available on Amazon if you prefer to buy it. Action, non-stop action. I was actually disappointed the book ended. It’s a novella starring Dr Morgan Sierra, a Lara Croft slash James Bond (authors words), character, fighting to protect the world from religious supernatural elements. It was an entertaining read. It’s a novella, short but definitely not lacking in substance.
Blood Moon Rising By Mark Dawson
The second book in the Beatrix Rose series. Action-packed with a tough and dying assassin set out on revenge. Kept me up at night.
Inheritance by Thomas Wymark
I love a good suspense thriller and I picked this one up because it was free on Amazon. Inheritance is a story about a woman who starts suffering from blackouts and frighteningly real dreams after having mugged and hit on the head. The story has a lot of plot twists and is long-winded and repetitive at times, it could use a bit of editing but the story is quite good. It took me about 10% of the book to really get into it but once I did I really wanted to know what happened next and couldn’t put it down.
Stoicism: Ultimate Handbook To Stoic Philosophy, Wisdom and Way of Life by Thomas Beckett
An interesting read and not what I expected. I wasn’t familiar with Stoicism and this book gave a basic rundown of the ‘religion’, although I’d call it more of a way of living. Stoicism is an interesting concept although it seemed to me to be contradictory in some ways. At one point the author is claiming that stoicism shouldn’t be pushed on others while on another page it claims you should get as many people in your group as possible. The impression I got was that when following Stoicism, you lose all sense of emotion, you control your emotion and avoid outbursts of joy and anger or disappointment. There’s definitely some ideas that would be worth implementing in life. I’m definitely interested in reading a little bit more on the subject out of my own curiosity. This book is a quick intro.
Write. Publish. Repeat by Sean Platt & Johnny B. Truant with David Wright
I want to make a living from my writing. The only way to do that is to increase my output. I read about this book on The Creative Penn, and it took a couple of months before I decided to purchase it. I’m glad I did. It’s a long book but it’s filled with so much useful and motivating information. The guys really know what they are talking about and I’m looking forward to putting some of the tips in the book to practice this year!
What were your reading in February?
by Kasia | Mar 5, 2016 | Blogging, Reading, Writing
Authors, writers, or bloggers don’t have to finish a degree to earn their titles. There’s no need to study officially at a university for any number of years.
The written word is ingrained in us from a young age. You can’t get through school without writing, that’s where you learn the basics, that’s where you are likely to discover whether you have a knack for it, a desire, a talent, or you’re simply doing it to pass and get the the hell out of there.
I wish I paid more attention at school. I wish I spent more time after school expanding my knowledge. I was always an avid reader but I probably should have applied myself more.
Writing is a skill that cannot be taught but it can be learnt.
It’s a skill that only improves through practice. You need to write in order to become a better writer. Reading about it isn’t going to help you if you’re not constantly putting into practice what you have learned.
I believe anyone can learn to write well. Shit can become good. Good can become great. Great can become epic.
Here are three things that will help you become a better writer.
Write
Simple yet so misunderstood. If you want to improve as a writer you have to write. This year I’m hoping to exceed one million words. It sounds like a lot but it’s only about 2750 words per day. It’s doable. It’s going to help me become a better writer.
But it’s not enough just to write in the same fashion you’ve always written. That’s misleading your learning. If you want to learn you have to challenge yourself by writing in different styles, genres, point of views, formats. You practice by writing novels, short stories, poems, articles, and blog posts.
Your primary focus may be to become a better author, but those other formats can grow your skills and flow over to your novel writing. Just write, and keep writing. You’ll become a better and more confident writer.
When you write, you also get permission to call yourself a writer. It took me a good fifteen years to own up to the fact that I was a writer. I write. I’ve published blog posts, articles and two books. I am a writer. Own it.
Learn new words, practice description, dialogue, setting, and flashbacks.
Look at your weaknesses. That’s what you need to be working on. If you can’t make a conversation sound realistic you need to be working on that until it feels natural.
You will never become a better writer if you’re not writing. Put the words down. Even if they’re shit. Just do it. Day by day you’ll improve and then there’s no excuse.
“Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.”
– William Faulkner
Challenge 1:
Commit to 15 minutes of writing every day. Or if you prefer try for 100 words and increase it by 50 until you’re writing 1000 words per day. You can achieve so much with very little if you commit.
Read
Why do you want to be a writer? Probably because you’re a reader first and foremost. I can’t imagine being a writer and not loving to read. The two go hand in hand. Reading fuels creativity, it’s like adding wood to the fire to keep the flame burning. As a writer, ideas are your assets. If you don’t have them then there’s not much writing you can do.
So read. If you want to be a better writer you need to read a lot. Not just the stuff that you enjoy reading but also the stuff you don’t. You learn from it all.
Good writing will show you what works. Bad writing will demonstrate what doesn’t.
But how do you define good and bad?
We have different tastes, likes and dislikes. What you like your friend might hate. A story you couldn’t get into may have one a national competition. The book that’s raking in millions in sales has been helping put you to sleep each night.
Tastes vary, the definition of good and bad varies. So read everything you can get your hands on and then decide whether you thought it was good and bad.
Read non-fiction too. Learn the rules of writing. Once you have them down pat, you can learn to break them to create your own writing style.
Books are not essays meant to be handed in to a teacher for marking for perfect sentence use. They’re not academic papers to be filled with fancy words that half the population doesn’t understand. Books are meant to be readable, friendly, and most importantly entertaining.
Read them all.
I’ve set myself a goal to read at least 52 books this year. 26 fiction and 26 non-fiction in various genres. We’re at the end of February and I’m already sixteen books in. I’m also confirming what I’ve known since I was a kid – I love crime thrillers, espionage and action books. I’m picky with my sci-fi and fantasy. And I can tolerate a little bit of romance.
As a writer I’m also tempted to try writing in different genres thanks to the books I read. Could there be a erotic romance in the future? Maybe a garlic-loving vampire coming of age story? Reading fuels my mind with ideas which means tomorrow, anything is possible.
“Can I be blunt on this subject? If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” – Stephen King
Challenge 2:
Try reading outside your normal genre. Start reading the top 100 books on Amazon or the Top 100 Before You Die. Always reading fiction? Give non-fiction a try. I’ve read some great non-fiction books. I remember Confessions of An Economic Hitman read like a novel, so did The Wolf of Wall Street. Non-fiction can spice up your writing and fill up your idea pool if you’re feeling a bit dry. I’m reading Hitlers Secret Children and it’s forcing ideas into my brain. I need to create a better idea folder!
Live
Life experience can be an awesome ingredient for a writer. While you don’t have to write what you know (otherwise we might have a lot of housewife and bored office clerk based books), you do tend to draw traits and emotions from our own experiences. Sure you can pretty much research anything you want on YouTube, Wikipedia, or Google, and probably get it right. But life experience is something else, it gives the most overused story idea a unique spin because it’s told from your perspective.
As a writer, even if you’re a shy or introverted one, as many are, you need to live a little. Try new things, take chances, feel alive.
One of the things I love about being a writer is that I can try some of the things I write about. Last year, my husband and I went to the shooting range. It was fun and exciting and I’d definitely do it again. This time around I’ll be going with my notepad so that I can take notes and talk to the people in the gun club so I can use it in my writing.
This year I’m hoping to try a dozen new things that will challenge my body and mind. I might not enjoy all of them but they are sure to teach me things. And just because they’re not for me, they might just be perfect for one of my characters.
Travel is also good. Of course we’re not all capable of travel. It’d be naive of me to think otherwise. Our geography, upbringing and lifestyle will impact on how far our backyard stretches. I’m fortunate enough to be able to travel once a year and I live in a country that has a lot to offer and there’s so much I hope to experience. All this and more will add colour to my stories, my characters, and my settings.
So liven up your writing by living a little. It can be as simple as heading out to a different part of town, having coffee at a new-to-you cafe, taking a road trip, signing up for a course, learning a new language, checking out a new running group, booking a holiday of a lifetime, throwing a dinner party.
“You sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.”
J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Challenge 3:
Make a list of all the things you’ve wanted to do no matter how big, small or outrageous they sound. Keep going till you have a hundred of them. Do it now.
Awesome. Got it.
Now split the list to things that are free, cost under a $100 and those over a $100.
Great.
Which one of those things can you do this week? This year?
Get started. Don’t look back.
As a writer it’s your job to constantly work on improving your craft. You want each article, book, blog post to be better than the one that came before it. With each piece, long or short, you’ll be able to convey your message, story, tip in a more entertaining and effective manner.
With each word you write, every book you read, and the new experiences you encounter, your writing will flourish.
What are you doing every day to improve as a writer?
by Kasia | Mar 2, 2016 | Reading, Writing
HAUNTED HEARTS
Book One – Lana Malloy Paranormal Mystery Series
FREE for a Limited Time
Will Lana Malloy solve the twenty-year-old double murder of her great aunt and her great aunt’s fiancé by Memorial Day? If she can, they’ll spend eternity together; if she can’t, they’ll be stuck as Haunted Hearts for another year.
Check out reviews for Haunted Hearts
Available now in print and electronic formats through Amazon Kindle, Amazon Print, 24Symbols, Barnes & Noble Nook, iTunes iBook, Kobo, and Page Foundry.
EXCERPT
When Lucy floated back across the room, Lana glimpsed a terrified face in the window nearest the side door leading to the carport. It was her neighbor, Roxie Thomas, with curlers in her strawberry blonde hair and cold cream still covering her horrified face. When the dress glided toward a filing cabinet, Roxie’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped. The closed window muffled her screams.
“Get back! Roxie saw you. I mean, she saw your dress. I’ll see if I can talk to her.” But as Lana reached the door, Roxie ran away, her screeches fading as she widened the space between their houses.
“Fix this situation before I bring her back.” Lana slammed the door behind her.
Lana’s house sat on stilts with two rooms adjacent to the carport at ground level–one room, the one closest to the carport sufficed as her new PI office leading into a library, entertainment and den combination. The office and the other room were divided by a wall with an arched doorway. Stairs led to the second level open-floor plan containing a living room-kitchen combination, two bedrooms with an adjoining bathroom between them.
Trotting across the yard, she caught up with Roxie on the other side of the hedge. “Roxie, wait up.” Roxie dashed for her house without looking back.
“Stay away from me, you…you…you witch! I’m calling the cops.” She stumbled up the steps sideways and sank slowly to her knees on her front porch.
“Don’t be ridiculous! It’s not what you think. Please, come back and see. Besides, how will you explain to the police that you were peeping in my window? They don’t like peeping Roxies around here, you know. They’ve already warned you about it.” Lana leaned down to help her up, but Roxie snatched her hand away.
“Don’t touch me! Stay away!” Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I know what I saw. They’ll believe me this time.” Roxie wrapped her arms around her middle as if it would ward off any evil Lana may do to her.
“Okay, okay, now, just calm down. I only want to help you. Where’s Ralph? Can I get him for you?” Lana motioned toward the front door.
Roxie held her hand up, palm out. “Don’t come any closer. He’s right inside, he is.” Her voice trembled. “He’ll be out here any minute, so d-don’t you try any of your witchcraft voodoo on me. I’ve always known there was something weird about you…about your whole family.”
“What’s going on out here, Roxie?” A big-bellied man with thinning hair stood in the doorway.
“Ralph, oh, Ralph, I’m glad you’re here. She’s a witch. I-I saw her making stuff float around her office.” She gestured with her hands in the air while describing what she’d seen.
“Mr. Thomas, I just came to explain to your wife that what she saw was a new gadget I’ve invented to dry clothes.” Lana smiled. “Your wife thinks I twitched my nose or something to make a dress float across the room.”
Available now in print and electronic formats through Amazon Kindle, Amazon Print, 24Symbols, Barnes & Noble Nook, iTunes iBook, Kobo, and Page Foundry.
Other Books Available in the Series
In book two, GET OUT OR DIE, the success of Lana’s first case has spread throughout the local Charleston area and her business is booming. At one pro-bono job, Lana helps a widow communicate with her late husband where she learns of a frightening new ability—an ability that could give the next spirit, an angry ghost, the upper hand if she’s not careful.
In book three, THE WEDDING CRASHER, Lana is on her honeymoon in Gatlinburg, Tennessee when she learns that a reoccurring vision about an abducted woman took place in nearby Knoxville. This case takes her hiking up mountainsides and trekking through rough terrain to find a madman before he can harm this young woman.
In the fourth book, CHRISTMAS CRUISE, Lana boards a cruise ship haunted by dead women who were brutally murdered. While aboard the ship Lana has an experience that mentally injures her. Once she recovers, she’s more determined than ever to find the murderer.
About Kim Cox
Kim Cox is an author of Paranormal, Mystery, Suspense and Romance. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with her chain saw artist husband, their West Highland White Terriers–Scooter and Harley, and a Yorkie mix, Candi. Kim is published in novels, short stories and articles.
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